Floating marine safe



(No Model.)-

A. B. PERKINS. FLOATING MARINE SAFE.

No. 596,278. Patented Dec. 28, 1897.

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UNITED STATES ATENT Enron.

ASA B. PERKINS, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOATING MARINE SAFE.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,278, dated December 2 8, 1897. Application filed August 31, 1896. Serial No. 604,454. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ASA B. PERKINS, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Floating Marine Safe, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to an improved floating marine safe, and particularly to one adapted to be carried on board the vessel.

The object of the invention is to provide a device whereby a line can be carried from a vessel in distress to the adjacent shore; and another object is to provide va device which can be sent off from the vessel containing the name'of the vessel and crew, together with such information as the captain may deem necessary to place within the device.

Another object is to provide an improved signal mechanism capable of being seen both during the day and night.

' With these various objects in view my invention consists, essentially, of a buoyant body provided with suitable rings, said buoyant body having a receptacle adapted to contain messages, &c., a reel carried by the buoyant body, a signal lamp or torch and its reservoir, and a signal-flag fitted to the side of the buoyant body.

My invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view showing the invention in use during the operation of carrying a line from the ship to the shore. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the device. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out my invention I employ a buoyant body A, preferably constructed of thin sheet metal, although any suitable material may be employed, and this buoyant body is preferably funnel-shaped or can be constructed in any other suitable pattern.

The body has a flat top and at the lower end is provided with a suitable weight B, by means of which the body is kept upright in the Water.

A water-tight receptacle .0 is arranged in the top of the buoyant body and provided with a suitable screw-cap D, said receptacle 0 being adapted to receive papers giving the name of the ship and its crew, together with such other papers as the captain of the vessel may deem necessary to place therein.

A reel E is journaled to the buoyant body and carries a fine wire or cord F, which is unwound as the buoyant body floats toward the shore, the end of said wire or cord being fastened to the ship in distress.

In order to assist the buoyant body in floating toward the shore, I provide laterally-proj ecting rigid wings G, against which the wind blows and serves to drive the buoyant body toward the shore.

The oil-reservoir 1-1 is arranged at the bottom of the device, and leading upward therefrom is the wick-tube I, in which is the wick K, said wick being lighted before sending the device off from the ship, the oil-receptacle being of sufficient size to contain oil enough to burn for several days.

A guide L is arranged upon the opposite side of the device, in which is fitted the staff M, carrying a flag N, said staff resting upon a suitable rest 0 at is lower end, which lower end projects laterally from the side of the buoyant body near the lower end.

It will thus be seen that I provide a body which will float in any sea and will fly a signal visible in the day and at the same time will carry a light providing a signal at night. It will also be noticed that by means of the reel a life-line can be carried from the ship to the shore, and by means of which a heavier line can be passed from the shore to the ship for the purpose of rescuing the crew and cargo.

Besides using the device in this manner buoyant bodies can be made smaller and the reel omitted therefrom, and in this instance conveying messages, thus providing a device which is superior to the method generally employed by vessels in distress-namely, sealing the messages in a bottle and throwing said bottle overboard.

The advantages of my improveddevice for this purpose are that it is larger and more apt to be seen than a bottle, and, furthermore,

it carries a flag by day and burns a torch by night, and in addition is provided with latthe device is used simply for the purpose of orally-projecting wings which act as sails and propel the device through the water.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly cheap and simple device which can easily be carried on board a vessel and easily launched in case of distress, and in fact it would be advisable to carry several of these devices, inasmuch as they are inexpensive in construction and take up very little room on board the vessel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved floating safe consisting of a buoyant body having an oil-receptacle arranged therein, the wick-tube leading therefrom on the exterior of the body, the Wick arranged in said tube, a flagstaii-guide attached to said body, and the rest for the fla-gstaff extending out from said body, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as shown and described.

2. An improved floating safe-consisting of a buoyant body, essentially funnel-shaped, and having a weight at the lower end, the receptacle arranged in the lower end and having'a screw cap or cover, the laterally-projecting rigid Wings, the reel journaled t0 the buoyant body, and carrying a wire or cord,

the oil-reservoir located in the lower end of the buoyant body, the wicletube leading therefrom, the wick arranged in said tube, the flagstaff guide and rest, all arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as shown and described.

ASA ll. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. WEBBER, EZRA L. WoonBURY. 

